The present invention relates to a three-dimensional structure for armoring a motor vehicle.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
Motor vehicles can be provided with an armor to protect the vehicle from ordnances such as projectiles or explosives. The armor is typically made of steel, in particular armor steel alloys. Armor steel alloys are low-alloy heat-treatable steel of high hardness. Existing motor vehicles can be retrofitted with added armor that can be attached in the interior or to the outer body casing. Newly manufactured and designed vehicles can already have armor-plating integrated therein, e.g. in gaps of the vehicle body or on the outer casing of the vehicle body.
Armoring made of steel alloy is very heavy especially when a high armoring classification is wanted. This weight significantly increases the overall weight of the vehicle. Weight-saving is however important when, for example, combat vehicles or vehicles for particular operations are involved. Also, when air transportability of combat vehicles is an issue, the vehicle weight should be kept to a minimum so as not to exceed the permissible load capacity for transport by aircraft or helicopter.
Increasingly, the demands on armor for a vehicle for better protection of an occupant become more stringent because of the advent of newly developed hard ammunition types and the threat posed by explosives, e.g. booby traps in the form of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device).
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved armor for vehicles to obviate prior art shortcomings.